James Forrestal
Born February 15, 1892, the young boy in Matteawan, New York graduated high school at the age of 16 in 1908, working three newspaper jobs until 1911. After joining the U.S. government, he was appointed as the last cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy, and the first United States Secretary of Defense. Forrestal as a supporter of the naval battle groups centered on aircraft carriers, the first supercarrier was named USS Forrestal. Princeton even has a campus named after him, where the Forrestal lecture is given. When President Truman decided to dismiss Forrestal as the Secretary of Defense, it was said that he suffered a nervous breakdown, a chrge that was denied by his brother. Forrestal was admitted to a hospital April 2, 1949, then on May 22, 1949, the day he was going to be released, he was found dead on the roof of the hospital with the sash of his bathrobe knotted around his neck. However the US Navy Officials stated that Forrestal died from a fall, and did not say what caused the fall.
Why he was imortant
The Security Act of 1947, was confirmed the day after James took office as the first Secreatry of Defense. However his power was limited so it was difficult to excercise his power.